Waiver
You need to be a USHPA member for liability (waiver) and official observer purposes. If you are a US citizen or living in the US, you need to be a full member with at least a one-year membership. Foreign pilots will need a 3-month membership at least. If you are not a member you can apply here. I haven't got a web address for applying for 3-month membership.
RV Parks:
Our standard lodging is at the Lake Shore Lodge and RV Park
other RV Park: http://www.fourseasons-rvpark.com/zapata.htm
Motels in Zapata:
Falcon Motor Hotel 956 - 765 - 4373 $47.30 / 2 $53.90
/ 3
Falcon Executive Inn 956 - 765 - 6982 $50.60 / 2 pool
Oso Blanco Motel & RV Park 956 - 765 - 4339 $49.50 / 2 $56.00 / 3
Best Western 956 - 765 - 8403 $62.00 / 2 $69.60 / 3 pool (rate w/AAA
discount)
Beacon Lodge 956 - 765 - 4616 $44.00 / 2 $52.00 / 3
New Harbor Lodge & RV Park 956 - 765 - 3095 $150.00 / 2 per week (apartment
Launch location:
Aerotow launches will take place at midfield closest to the hanger. Truck towing
(if required due to equipment failure or for paragliders) will take place from
the north end of the runway.
Pilots are encouraged to set up their gliders the night before and store them in
the hanger if there is sufficient room. Going down behind locked gates:
Gary has been coordinating with Sheriff's department. This is important, since
FAR 103 allows pilots in "distress" to land nearly anywhere (of course liable
for any damages) but civil and other statutes don't allow individuals (ground
support) to ingress without permission. The Sheriff's department has been
working to notify all landowners but some are absentee, unavailable, etc. Some
small, chopped up parcels. Might involve multiple ingresses to reach pilots at
times. Notices in area papers also are being given. Even so, we need to be able
to either:
1) Get gates unlocked by Sheriff, or
2) Get ground support person over locked gate with bike, etc.
In second event, here is the procedure. We always notify Sheriff. He authorizes
our person as an extension of the municipal authority in a rescue mode.
Circumvents any trespassing ramifications. As long as we train them, they follow
the outlined procedures, and we notify the Sheriff each time, shouldn't be any
problems. I will have 4 numbers for the Sheriff including a preferred contact
point (dispatch, home, pager, cell).
Our current method for "rescuing" pilots behind locked gates near (within 7 or 8
miles) of the airport is to send their driver for that day to get them. The
driver will have a local road map, a cell phone, a GPS, a radio, a mountain
bike, a folding cart, and a bike bracket. The driver is supposed to use the map
and the GPS to get as close as possible to the downed pilot. He/she is then
supposed to take the bicycle and put it over any locked gates along with the
folding cart.
The driver then bikes to the pilot, connects the cart to the glider (at the
balance point) and to the harness and carts them out to the gate. The pilot is
required to walk to the gate.
We need all pilots who can to bring their mountain bikes, second GPSes, have
radios in their vehicles, and to work with their drivers. Getting to Zapata:
Corpus Christi or San Antonio are the closest big passenger airports. Laredo is
a very big airport but not for passengers with hang gliders (the planes coming
in are probably too small).
Davis Straub
davis@davisstraub.com
http://ozreport.com